Nemesia plant named ‘GG Blue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘GG Blue’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GG Blue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia, botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘GG Blue’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, mounding and freely-branching Nemesia cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2005 in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan of Nemesia hybrida ‘Blue Bird’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number TNB-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan in April, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan since May, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘GG Blue’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘GG Blue’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Blue Bird’. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of ‘Blue Bird’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact and mounding than         plants of ‘Blue Bird’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Blue Bird’.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the new Nemesia have darker violet-colored flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia can also be compared to plants of ‘Hubbird’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,014. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of ‘Hubbird’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more compact and mounding than         plants of ‘Hubbird’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Hubbird’.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Hubbird’.     -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Hubbird’.     -   5. Plants of the new Nemesia had darker violet-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Hubbird’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nemesia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘GG Blue’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘GG Blue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, under commercial practice during the winter and early spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 20° C. and night temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 8° C. Plants had been growing for four months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida ‘GG Blue’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nemesia hybrida ‘Blue Bird’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia             hybrida identified as code number TNB-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 20 days at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded growth             habit. Freely branching with two lateral branches             potentially forming at every node. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 24.8 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 7 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 144D. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 144D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Bilabiate solitary flowers             arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards             the apex; flowers facing upright to outwardly. Freely             flowering habit with about eight flowers per raceme and             about 36 racemes per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants flower from late             summer to early autumn; flowering continuous during this             period. Flowers begin flowering about three months after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.3 cm by 1.8 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2 mm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 6.6 mm. Diameter:             About 4.2 mm. Color: Close to N82B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five modified petals; four upper petals             fused forming an upright lobed and arched banner lip; lower             petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval             protuberance serving as a nectar guide and insect landing             platform. Shape, upper lip: Elliptic. Shape, lower lip:             Cordate. Apex, upper lip: Rounded. Apex, lower lip: Cordate.             Margin, upper lip: Entire. Margin, lower lip: Entire;             slightly undulate. Length, upper lip: About 9.8 mm. Length,             lower lip: About 9.6 mm. Width, upper lip: About 3 mm to             5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.1 cm. Texture, upper and             lower lips, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to             N87A; towards the throat, close to 91B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 85A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             N88C; towards the throat, close to 91B. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 85B. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper             surface: Close to N87A; nectar guide, close to 155B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 85A. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to N88C; nectar guide, close to 155B. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 91B. Color, throat and tube:             Close to 145B.         -   Spur.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: Close             to 157B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals             fused at the base. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1.3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower. Stamen length: About 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. Anther shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Anther size: About 0.9 mm by 0.4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 5C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 5B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.5 mm. Style color: Close to 149D.             Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 149D. Ovary             color: Close to 144A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Nemesia. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘GG Blue’ as illustrated and described. 